It began with a question asked by parents and children living near Hembree Park in Roswell: “Why can’t we walk to school and the nearby park?”

The answer was equally as simple: There was an old barn in the way, up very close to Hembree Road, and it did not leave room for a sidewalk to give easy access to Hembree Springs Elementary School, Elkins Pointe Middle School or Hembree Park.

When the City of Roswell approached the barn’s owner, she very graciously suggested moving the historic barn to another location to open up space for what would become the Hembree Road Multi-Use Trail.

At a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony at Hembree Springs Elementary School, the City, its partners and local children who will be enjoying this new fairway came together to celebrate its completion.

The new Multi-Use Trail connects Hembree Grove and other residential subdivisions along Upper Hembree Road to the elementary and middle schools as well as Hembree Park. The project replaced existing 5-foot sidewalks on the south side of Hembree Road with a multi-purpose path that is 8-10 feet wide — totaling 2,500 linear feet. Additionally, a pedestrian crosswalk, ramps and signals at two intersections were upgraded. Nuttall Oak trees now line the path, which will add to the Roswell Loop, a system of multi-use paths and bicycle facilities connecting the city of Roswell.

“We envision a Roswell where all the parks and schools are connected by a great trail system — the Roswell Loop,” said Steve Acenbrak, Director of Transportation for the city.” The Hembree Road Multi-Use Trail is a vital component of that large trail system, and we’re excited to open it for the public’s use.”

Designed by Clark Patterson Lee and constructed and landscaped by Johnson Landscaping DBA Vertical Earth, the project was funded through the MARTA Offset Funds in addition to local sidewalk connectivity funding. Construction began November 2012 and was completed in late March 2013. Three historic barns were relocated from the south side of Hembree Road in 2011 as part of this project.

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